The emerging trend in today's battlefield is to employ a rapid deployment force, which is lighter more lethal and less dependent on logistic tails. A highly agile and capable force must be sufficiently versatile to sustain a high operating tempo and defeat the opponent with minimum losses. They must then quickly re-position, re-focus end execute subsequent missions against an opponent by employing asymmetric means.
Currently, artillery support brigades operate large artillery weapons, such as howitzers which are towed. These howitzers are not integrated with the vehicles by which they are towed but may have auxiliary power units that are capable of propelling them to a maximum speed of about 20 km/h on paved roads and half that speed off-road. An example of such a system is the 155 mm/52 caliber FH2000 self propelled howitzer, which consists of a howitzer mounted with an auxiliary power unit (APU). These howitzer systems are relatively heavy and may need to be supported by a tow vehicle and ammunition supply train during long-distance operations. The main problem with such equipment is its limited maneuverability, which largely depends on the tow vehicle and the ability of the logistics support train to reequip. Loading onto fixed-wing aircraft is also difficult due to its weight and bulk and/or the need for it to be towed into the aircraft. Other howitzer systems may be tracked, but these are unable to attain high speeds of say up to 80 km/h and are not capable of being airlifted.
In today's battlefield, the lack of mobility can well mean a lower survival probability, as shoot and scoot capability is important. It is with this motivation that the present invention of a lightweight self-propelled howitzer was conceptualized.